Happy Western Calendar New Year and Happy Lunar New Year! It’s good to be back. And now that I’m again part of the 7.8% of the nation’s unemployed, I’ll have more time to do more you-food stuff. Lucky you! Alright, so as usual, I wanted to get this post out earlier closer to the new year, but owing to work (don’t have to worry about that now) and that it takes me way to much time by blog standards to write these these things, I present it to you now.
In honor of 2009, I present to you now, Tamales!
(A Chinese New Year Post is in the works)
Click on the image below for the whole enchilada (get it?):
Pork Tamales: one of the best ways to welcome the New Year.
For the record, here’s the recipe for the sweet tamale (Ecuadorian variation):
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 large eggs, separated
6 oz. Chihuahua, mozzarella, or Muenster cheese, shredded
½ cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
½ tsp. anise seeds, crushed (I used star anise, for a stronger flavor)
2 tablespoons brandy or anise liqueur
Pinch of salt
Banana leaves
Garnish:
Seedless black raisins
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and ¾ cup of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the cheese, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, zest, anise, and brandy. Wash and dry the beaters.
2. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until they form soft peaks. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until glossy peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the mixture into the batter, then gently fold in the rest.
3. To assemble the quimbolitos, place a banana leaf square on the worktable with the grain running left to right. Spread about ¾ cup of the cheese mixture in the center of the leaf about ¾ inch thick. Place 3 or 4 raisins on top of the batter. Bring the long sides of the leaf together over the filling. Fold the other ends under the tamale and place folded side down (on a piece of aluminum foil, if desired).
Thanks Sanj. Now I’m wondering why I only ate one of the sweet ones. Oh yeah, I already had four pork and chicken in my stomach. Guess I’ll just have to make these ones myself.
Just a little addendum to the veggie tamales. I included squash, mixture of yellow and regular zucchini. All veggies were diced into similar sized cubes. And I have to say that the squash was essential to the deliciousness of the filling.